The plague had bled deep into that area, choking off life and corrupting what was left. The air hung heavy with its poison; the soil crumbling and tainted below.
She threaded her way through the dismal forest alone and unaided, seeking a path that would lead her away from the nightmare. It was there that she encountered it. What was once a black bear, now twisted into something gruesome.
The animal attacked her, frenzied in its anger. Gaping wounds and open sores covered its body - the plague fresh at work. Vephriel could sense the pain and confusion of the poor creature, so driven to madness by its own rotting flesh. Though at first the beast had frightened her, she realized that it had no control and was lashing out in its agony.
Determined to help it, she resolved herself to calming the animal, reaching out with tranquil energy and soothing words. It took a great deal of patience and time before the bear began to trust her and allowed her to start tending to him.
She was gentle with her ministrations, doing all that was in her power to bind the injuries and take away as much pain as she could. Her mind reached out to his, attempting to establish the bond that hunters were so gifted with. Though rage and pain clouded his senses, slowly she was able to link with him. There was a deep-rooted grudge at the core of his mind, focused on the Scourge and what the undead had wrought to the land. She cried in empathy with him, knowing all too well what they were capable of and what it was like to lose a home to them.
Unable to leave the bear behind, she bid him to join her where she would seek greater aid to heal him. She named him Grudge, for no other name could be as fitting for such a creature. Dropping all of her previous plans, she immediately set out to seek the Druids in order to heal him further. It was a long journey that took them back to Kalimdor. On their way she would bandage his sores with soothing poultices and medicine to help stem the spread of the wounds.
The Druids agreed to help, even though most would have considered him a lost cause. His body was beyond redemption, yet they were able to halt the spread of the taint and heal the wounds so that, even if they were still visible, they no longer caused him intense pain. He regained more of his sanity, but still he was consumed by his hatred of the Scourge.
Vengeance would be his.
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